Culture – Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera – Page 1 – Two laps at 100 mph … and 60 years apart

Posted on by admin

Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

In 1957, Bob McIntyre became the first driver in Tourist Trophy history to break the 100 mph wall in a Gilera 500 cc 4-cylinder. 60 years later, Michael Dunlop pays tribute to him at the Classic TT 2017… Video review of two great stories.

Page 1 – Two laps at 100 mph … and 60 years apart

Let us note in the preamble that the machine which Michael Dunlop rode was not the real motorcycle ridden by Bob McIntyre during the Senior TT race of 1957, but a rigorous one, a workshop which has belonged to the Kay’s for thirty years: !

But in 1957 either, McIntyre would not really run on "his" Gilera since he replaced Geoff Duke: injured a few weeks earlier in Imola, the triple world champion of the Grand Prix 500 had himself advised the Italian factory to hire the Scottish. Good pick !

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

For the record, Geoff Duke had held the Tourist Trophy lap record since 1955: declared the first driver to break down the "Ton" (the 100 mph wall), the English driver had finally seen his average corrected to 99.97 mph. . Damned !

For the big history this time, Robert McIntyre set off with a bang during the 500 cc Grand Prix race in 1957 – the Tourist Trophy like the Ulster GP was then part of the motorcycle speed world championship: the n ° 78 of Gilera completed his first lap at an average of 99.99 mph !

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

Then "Mac" sprays the "Wall of Ton" from his second lap: 101.3 mph despite its full tanks (additional tanks are housed under the full fairings of the Grand Prix machines to avoid having to refuel during the event. ) !

The "Flying Scot" still raises the tone (hohoho) in the fourth loop, covering the 60 km of the famous and perilous Moutain Course at 101.12 mph, or 162.76 km / h. McIntyre then catches up on the road the winner of the previous edition, John Surtees on MV Agusta n ° 64, the double, but is ironed…

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

At the end of the race, the Gilera driver followed his team’s recommendations (“Slow down!”) And crossed the finish line as a winner, 3 hours, 2 minutes and 57.2 seconds after starting off. The race, which celebrates 50 years of the "TiTi", was exceptionally disputed in eight laps against seven usually: it remains to this day the longest motorcycle Grand Prix ever contested !

60 years later, the feat achieved by Bob McIntyre and the Gilera 500-4 therefore remains unmatched: today in MotoGP, the stars of the Intercontental Circus – Rossi, Marquez, Dovizioso and the others – only remain in the saddle " "three short quarters of an hour on Sunday afternoon !

Senior TT 1957: fastest lap, longest race

Bob’s lap record, on the other hand, has since been shattered: last year, Michael Dunlop circled the Isle of Man in 16.53.23, averaging 133.962 mph. It is therefore logically to him that the organizers of the Classic TT appealed to pilot the replica of the Gilera on the same course..

"It was one of the best experiences I have ever had," said "MD" after his "parade lap" averaged just over 100 mph! A hell of a performance because despite the youth of its mount and recent tire fitting, the bike was obviously not easy to drive….

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

"It was so strange to ride", testifies the Northern Irish rider who had never tested the bike! "I don’t know if it was me or the fairings, but it felt like the tires were flat." Proof that Michael was discovering his "Gilera": "I spent the whole tour trying to find sixth gear: I had not realized that there were only five" !

"I would have loved to have entered the bike in the Senior race," continues Michael. It would have been even better for him: best qualifying time of the Senior TT Classic precisely on the handlebars of the XR69 of Team Suzuki Classic, the nephew of the legendary Joey was then betrayed by his motorcycle in the race…

Culture - Classic TT 2017: Michael Dunlop pays tribute to Bob McIntyre and Gilera - Page 1 - Two laps at 100 mph ... and 60 years apart

Very special to drive because of its heavy fairing, the English copy of the Gilera did not fail. "It was a real honor to ride the bike and I would like to thank Mark (Kay) and Paul (Phillips) who made it all possible," said Michael Dunlop..

His emotion was not feigned at the end of his demonstration: "we had excellent reactions on the track. Everyone loved listening to the bike. What I did has nothing to do with the eight-lap race. It’s much easier now, "admits the man with .

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *